Fast-growing Sarajevo Unveils Eclectic Mix for 10th Fest

Catalina Sandino Moreno in a scene from Joshua Marston’s “Maria Full of Grace,” which is among the selections screening at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

The 10th annual Sarajevo Film Festival, which has grown from 15,000 attendees in its first year to an estimated 100,000 in 2003, kicks off Friday, August 20th with the world premiere of Pjer Zalica‘s “Uncle Idriz’s Place.” More than 180 films will be screened in 12 programs during the festival; ten films from eight countries, including Albania, Romania, and Bulgaria, will compete for four awards in the regional program – the main jury award, the special jury award, best actress, and best actor. John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Joshua Marston are among this year’s expected guests.

“Maria Full of Grace,”“Shrek 2,”“Kill Bill 2,” and Michael Moore‘s “Fahrenheit 9/11” are a few of the American films that will screen during the festival. In addition to those selections, picks for the festival’s Panorama Documentary program include: Fernando Perez‘s “Suite Habana,”Zana Briski and Ross Kaufman‘s “Born into Brothels,”Kim Bartley and Donnacha O’Briain‘s “The Revolution Will Not be Televised,”Jehane Noujaim‘s “Control Room,” and the Russian doc “Disbelief,” about a 1999 night bombing of a Moscow apartment complex.

The festival will also have two tribute programs this year. The first, on Saturday, will be dedicated to up-and-coming director Gaspar Noe, known for his controversial film “Irreversible” starring Monica Bellucci. The second will be held in honor of legendary Belgrade director and writer Du’an Makavejev, whose films include “Man Is Not a Bird,”“Innocence Unprotected,” and his latest “A Night of Love.”

Also, for the first time, British director and president of the festival’s international jury, Mike Leigh (“Topsy Turvy”), will present a monetary award to a young artist on behalf of the Katrin Cartlidge foundation, established in honor of late British actress. At the gala presentation of the award there will also be a screening of Leigh’s film “Career Girls,” in which Cartlidge starred. In addition to Leigh, members of the jury include: Tribeca Film Festival director Peter Scarlet, Romanian actress Diana Dumbrava, and director Pjer Zalica.

The festival will close on Saturday, August 28th with a screening of Bertrand Blier‘s romantic comedy “Trop Belle Pour Toi,” starring Carole Bouquet and Gerard Depardieu. The festival will also host one of the biggest children’s festivals in Europe and a special TeenArena program for teenagers.